TWO high-profile businessmen are marking October 25 in their diaries as the date when they will address a Tees Valley business event.

GNER chief executive Christopher Garnett and ntl marketing and development managing director Jerry Roest, will be the principal speakers at this year's Tees Valley Business Show, an event backed by The Northern Echo.

The ceremony, at the Tall Trees Hotel, Yarm, on Thursday, October 25, will also feature Radio Cleveland's Alan Wright as after-dinner speaker.

The event is being jointly organised by the The Northern Echo's Tees Valley In Business Magazine and Darlington Business Venture.

Mr Garnett joined the transport industry in 1986 as Continental sector director of Sealink.

That followed previous jobs with Dunlop, Unigate and motor spare parts company, Partco.

Mr Garnett led the successful bid for the InterCity East Coast franchise, becoming its chief executive in April 1996.

Mr Roest joined ntl in 1998 as group managing director for product development and the Internet, having previously been general manager for CompuServe in Europe.

The evening's entertainment will include the presentation of Awards for Excellence to firms showing a strong performance during the previous year.

It will also feature The Northern Echo Lifetime of Achievement Award, which will be presented to a key business person in the Tees Valley. Nominations are being sought for the award.

Last year's award was presented to Les Bell, who originally set up Teesside Dairies with a £1,000 loan from his father in 1957.

He has gone on to create four businesses, employing more than 2,000 people and is one of the region's leading business figures.

To submit your nomination, explain why you think your nominee should win the award.

It could be someone who has worked hard to make a business successful, or someone with the talent and vision to make things happen.

The Lifetime Achievement award will be presented by Peter Barron, editor of The Northern Echo.

Nominations should be sent to Business Desk, The Northern Echo, PO Box 14, Priestgate, Darlington, DL1 1NF, or email echobusinesshe museum's most successful period